


The Lantern

by axefaire



Series: Red Knight, Black Bishop Collection [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Drabble, F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, Fluff, Morning After, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:40:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29255364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/axefaire/pseuds/axefaire
Summary: It finally happened: Edelgard had kissed Byleth in the Goddess Tower. In the bright light of day, Edelgard could not believe her boldness. But she could not feel embarrassed about it. After all, Byleth had kissed her back, reciprocating with the same intoxicating intensity that the mercenary brought to everything she did.---Edelgard and Byleth spend a stolen moment together after the night of the ball. Standalone in the Red Knight, Black Bishop universe (Ch 11 of "Red Knight, Black Bishop"), but can be read as a separate one-shot.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/My Unit | Byleth
Series: Red Knight, Black Bishop Collection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148189
Comments: 2
Kudos: 63





	The Lantern

**Author's Note:**

> This drabble is set during the end of Chapter 11 of Red Knight, Black Bishop, after the night of the ball and before their mission the next day. That being said, it can also be read as a standalone Edeleth piece. 
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy! Leave a comment or reach out on Twitter @axe_faire

Dappled light filtered in through the curtains. A stray beam fell across Edelgard’s face, rousing her from sleep. As she woke, she realized she was still wearing her evening wear uniform from the ball, the stiff fabric rumpled from a night of being laid in. Her hair was still done up, her head aching slightly from where it had pressed against the hair tie. Shifting, she was immediately aware of the heavy arm wrapped around her waist. Memories of the night before slowly trickled back into her mind.

It finally happened: Edelgard had kissed Byleth in the Goddess Tower. In the bright light of day, Edelgard could not quite believe her boldness. But she could not feel embarrassed about it either. After all, Byleth had kissed her back, reciprocating with the same intoxicating intensity that the mercenary brought to everything she did. Edelgard could still feel Byleth’s hands tangling into her hair, stroking down her back, cupping her cheeks. They had stayed in the Goddess Tower for some time but eventually, the fear of being found out drove them to Edelgard’s dormitory. There, they had crowded on top of Edelgard’s bed. In between talking and kissing — there was a fair amount of the latter, Edelgard recalled with a blush — they must have fallen asleep.

The bed was still made, the covers only slightly disturbed by the two women who lay on top of them. Edelgard turned onto her side. She moved carefully, not wanting to dislodge the warm weight of Byleth’s arm. Byleth’s eyelids fluttered at the motion and she mumbled vaguely, but she did not rise. She cuddled closer against Edelgard, tightening the grasp she had on her waist. Edelgard watched Byleth with something akin to reverence, using the opportunity to drink in the minute details of her face. Byleth had dark, dense eyelashes, the same shade of blue as her hair. Her nose had the slightest upward tilt, giving her a somewhat regal air. In her sleep, her mouth rested in the smallest of pouts. 

The compelling urge to kiss Byleth overtook Edelgard once again. She inched forward to press her lips lightly against Byleth’s and was pleasantly surprised when Byleth responded, opening her mouth against hers. Edelgard kissed her again, more forcefully this time, and felt a thrill of delight when Byleth moaned sleepily against her. 

“Did you sleep well?” Edelgard asked when she finally pulled away, already breathless and feeling the heat of desire building in her gut.

Byleth nodded. The last vestiges of sleep were still visible in her, making her eyes heavy lidded and her mouth soft and pliant. 

“Were you watching me?” Byleth said around a yawn. 

The accusation made Edelgard flush with embarrassment. She could feel her face growing hot and tried her best to fight the rush of blood to her cheeks. It must not have succeeded though, because Byleth laughed and pulled her closer. She kissed Edelgard sweetly, a chaste push of lips against lips.

“It was only for a moment,” Edelgard said. She carded her hands through Byleth’s hair, stretching the strands out away from her head to watch as the light played against them. “You’re always calm, even more so when you sleep. I feel lucky to see you looking so at peace. It makes… It makes me wonder who else might have seen you like this.”

“What a roundabout way to ask if I’ve kissed anybody else,” Byleth said. “You might as well come out and say it.”

“Oh! I do not mean to pry,” Edelgard lied. 

Byleth always managed to see right through her and this moment was no exception. With a laugh, she pulled Edelgard on top of her, rolling over until the shorter woman was straddling her hips. Edelgard gazed down at Byleth, delighting in the new view of her lover. She leaned over until her hair was a pearly curtain around them, shielding them from the outside world.

“If you must know, there has been no one else,” Byleth said. She reached up to cup Edelgard’s cheek. “I am entirely green when it comes to this.” 

Hearing that pleased Edelgard. In her time around Byleth, she had discovered a possessive streak in herself. Many a night she had tortured herself, imagining Byleth being wooed and won over by other women. But no more. She planted her hands on either side of Byleth’s head. This is mine, she thought to herself, and no one else’s. 

“I am the same,” she admitted. 

“Really, I’m the first to catch the Imperial Princess’ eye?” Byleth said. 

She said it with a quirk of her brow, the expression unusually playful. The rush of adoration Edelgard felt at that nearly bowled her over with its force. Unsure what else to do, she kissed Byleth, their teeth knocking together in her haste. But Byleth did not seem to mind. She wrapped her arms around Edelgard and held her place. She kissed back with equal fervor. Byleth’s tongue darted out to tease at the seam of Edelgard’s lips. Edelgard opened her mouth eagerly, letting the taste and feeling of Byleth wash over her. She let her tongue meet Byleth’s with a cautious flick before sweeping deeper into Byleth’s mouth. She felt a surge of heat in her as Byleth sighed into the kiss. Byleth’s hands drifted downwards, settling onto her hips. 

When Edelgard finally surfaced for air, her breath came in small pants. A stray string of saliva still connected their mouths, which Edelgard quickly brushed away. She could not quite believe that Byleth looked as she felt, completely awestruck by what was between them. You are a light amid the darkness of my life, Edelgard thought to herself. But she could not voice it, not when there were so many secrets Edelgard still harbored, not when the fate of Fodlan depended on that secrecy. But for once, treachery and continent-building were not at the forefront of her mind. How could she focus on anything like that when the most important woman in her world was here, lying beneath her and staring at her like she was the only star in the sky? Edelgard traced Byleth’s bottom lip with her thumb.

“I do not feel like the Princess around you,” she said softly. “My life has always been one of obligations and order. But here, with you, I feel untethered from those responsibilities. It is as though I could just be myself, just Edelgard, when you are at my side.”

“Then I will stay by your side,” Byleth said. She caught Edelgard’s hand with her own and pressed a kiss to her open palm. “Because I like the sound of that, just Edelgard.”

But Byleth did not know what she was promising, because she did not know what was to come. Edelgard felt a pang of regret as she caught Byleth’s lips with her own once more. All of this will change, she told herself, but I can indulge for a moment longer. She committed to memory every second of that morning, cataloguing with great detail every hitch of Byleth’s breath, every soft sigh, every teasing touch. Edelgard knew the path before her was hers alone to walk, but perhaps, the memory of this morning could be the lantern that lit her way.


End file.
